A Little about Me

I am a fourth-year senior in Psychology and Architecture and I currently work on Dr. Lamb's research team over at Emory, where we are studying how nurses coordinate care in the hospital. I'm looking forward to graduating in the spring and I am truly excited about seeing how this class unfolds.

Outside of classes, I have been coaching youth soccer teams (with kids under the age of 6, yes...pure craziness!) for the past four years, as well as serving as an adviser to a freshmen leadership team, Freshman Activities Board (FAB). I also teach several fitness classes at our very own CRC, including cycling and cardio kickboxing.

August 21, 2007 | Intro

As the professors for this course were discussing their individual perspectives, some common themes about 'designing for children' (especially when using Hughes Spalding as a model) rose to the forefront:

Wide range of users: the range of users in a children's hospital includes both patients + families

Decision support: families and patients need better resources when making important decisions in the hospital setting

Security: the urban setting of Hughes Spalding presents different security issues than a suburban, non-community hospital

Child-friendly environments: the materials, colors, textures, etc. are incredibly important when considering children as the primary users

Wow! factor: aiming for a "Wow!" response from children pushes the design team to be creative and innovative

Timeliness of care: possibility of transforming the waiting room into another type of environment, where the emphasis is not on the "waiting"

Accommodation for all the "stuff" that families bring: ability to accommodate all the toys, clothes, bags, food, other children that families tote along with them

Transparency: role of technology in the healing/care-giving processes

Building access: how will the family drive up, drop off their belongings, get the kids inside safely, etc?

Flexibility: designing for adaptable change

My thoughts:

'Pushing design innovation deeper into the building' is an interesting concept that promotes creativity, innovation, and focus beyond simply the lobby. Innovation can and should happen at the level of the patient room, the nurses' station, the hallways, the operating rooms, the restrooms, the cafeteria. Change at all these levels can really spark a health-care culture revolution.

August 23, 2007 | Julia Jones: CHOA

August 28, 2007 | Craig Zimring: Environments of Healing

August 30, 2007 | Hughes Spalding Site Visit

September 4, 2007 | Gerri Lamb: Patient-Centered Care Process

September 6, 2007 | Perkins+Will: Practical Innovation

September 11, 2007 | Ellen Do: Technology in the Care Environment

September 13, 2007 | DJ Feather (CHOA): Building for Children and their Families

September 18, 2007 | David Cowan: Facilitating Team Process

September 20, 2007 | Team Presentations

September 21, 2007 | Southside Medical Center Visit

September 25, 2007 | Identifying the Problem

October 2, 2007 | Final Group Presentations

Interesting ideas that came out of the other group presentations:

--CHCA: database for pediatric facilities

--Vanderbilt's Children Hospital: conducted a focus group with children and families and what they need at the hospital

--Helford Hospital at City of Hope: idea of the privacy of patient movement